#fuggies

Setting:

Some far-future space opera. Our protagonists pilot their ship (think star-trek exterior, bio-sphere interior) across the universe searching for the (highly merchandiseable) artifacts that will help to restore their desecrated home planet and the remaining small factions of the human race while seeking to find out why such destruction and devastation were caused (the extent of which is only hinted at to start) and bringing those that did it to justice (though it’s not entirely clear the source, our protagonists seem to have someone or something they blame). Humans have mastered bio-engineering to a degree that life-long companions are made specifically to be bonded to their human partner, they serve as both tech and buddy.

Our protagonists, purported paragons of humankind, have been selected to wield powerful abilities of transformation, granting them improved strength, stamina, and endurance, as well as color-coded armor and weapons. The origins and natures of these weapons and abilities is not clear at the start (they are referred to simply with the callout “(Color) Bio-Activate” and a transformation catalyzed through the Fuggies), and may come with great a great price… within the biosphere are great fungal masses (appearing similar to large toadstools) coordinated to the colors of those that use them. When severely injured, the members of this team are able to enter a stasis period within these fungal masses, healing all of their wounds. It is slowly revealed that this may, in fact, be simply storing memories and personality then killing and cloning these individuals to keep them alive, furthering them for some unknown purpose (and raising questions of consciousness and the self).

The technology our protagonists rely on is very solar-punk in its styling (and would have been a surprisingly early entry in the genre, purely by going for that late 80s early 90s ecological ‘wokeness’ that defined a lot of media at the time, but successfully conveying the idea of a high tech future balanced with biology and nature) – with a lot of emphasis on ecological balance. There’s still room for a lot of shiny chrome and sleek machinery, but plants, soft robots, and other bio-tech balance out harsh edges and geometric forms.

This future is one of incredible biotech as each protagonist is coordinated with...

The Fuggies:

Fuggies are cute, intelligent, special bio-engineered companions that serve as assistance to their human companion. Half fish, half puppy, and able to transform into a ‘ride-able’ form with their partner’s transformation that is quite similar to a horse with scales and a ferocious, stern appearance. In their cute, smaller form they serve as a pda, partner, puppy, and friend. They match the colors of their person, and their personality may be similar, but they have their own unique quirks and identity, generally their person’s pushed to an even further extreme (often meaning their human partner has to deal with their own issues in talking to their Fuggie). They are sentient, sapient, and capable of speech. They are partners for life.